Sparks of a different kind
by ElliotEames
Summary: Both Naruto and Kakashi come to terms with their less than platonic feelings for eachother. Problem is, Naruto is too insecure to think someone will go for him and Kakashi has reservations about the age difference and former student-teacher relationships. Story involves a run in, a wake-up call and something of a date. If you squint hard enough.


**A/N**

Alright, since it's been well over 3 years I think it might be time to pick up where I left of. Formerly known as Berlinboy, here is the edited version of 'Sparks' with faster updates than, you know, several _years_…

**Closed?**

.

.

"Yo."

"Oh, hey"

"Uh…how's it going?"

"I'm fine I suppose."

He'll probably never understand how the blond twirp could have such mood swings. One moment he's jumping up and down going on about Kami knows what and the next, he's all depressed.

"Sure doesn't look like you're fine…I suppose", a small tempting smile escaping his lips. Not that the other could've seen it of course, what with his mask almost covering his entire face.

He wasn't entirely sure what got the boy as upset as he was at the moment. Not noticing where they were standing, he continued on with his questioning.

"So, you do know that sulking in the middle of the street isn't very shinobi-like, right? Because, well you know… out in the open, not paying attention possible lurking enemies, you catch my drift?"

"But, but, don't you see?!" Ah, not the best response, but one nonetheless.

"Yes?"

"It's just, well. It's closed." he said with as much a pout as an air of finality.

Pouting wasn't one of the faces he'd have imagined on Naruto, but he sure was convinced they don't come cuter than this. _'Huh? Oh yeah, of course. My utterly hopeless, seemingly fast growing interest in the boy before me. No wait, man'._

The sunkissed blond has only been back for a week since he was gone for two years he duly remembered.

After yet another failed attempt to get Sasuke back out of Orochimaru's hands, Naruto took off with Jiraiya again for some much needed training. At least, that's how the boy put it. But those years did Naruto good. Great actually. Aged 19 and boy, did his grow spurt kicked in. He was surprised the way the boy looked when he returned from his first training with Jiraiya. Definitely a lot taller and not to mention he finally got rid of that baby fat. He was quite attractive for a 15 year old back then, in an endearing kinda way of course. But still, those last two years especially made the Copycat Nin take a moment to just observe (and categorize) the boy's body. Not quite reaching himself, but a decent height nonetheless. An even leaner body than before, but you could see he took training his physique seriously. Broader shoulders, muscled arms ('_tight shirt ne?'_) and a tapered waist. Strong legs as well. Another smile escaped his lips, this one being just a little bit bigger then the one before, perhaps also a little bit more smirk-ish.

_'He finally, finally, decided on getting rid of that baggy orange-black combo that really did his body no good_. _Not to mention orange is one of the worst ninja colours imaginable._' All the more good it did to see how the boy could actually look like without a shirt. Now, only to get him to loose his shirt...

"_Kuso, wrong! Ex-student for Kami's sake! No need to think such things. It's obvious this is just a one way thing, so just knock it off mmkay?'_

"Closed? What do ya mean?" '_Right, let's not forget we were actually having a conversation Staring at him and keeping quiet _will_ creep him out."_

A blank expression was all he got before the _man_ started shouting angrily. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN, 'WHAT DO YA MEAN'! LOOK! TO YOUR RIGHT! Uh…Kakashi-sensei." an embarrassed Naruto quickly added. _'Another cute face, must be my lucky day, heh.'_

A surprised, yet slightly frightened Kakashi slowly turned his head. _"There's that mood swing again, pff."_

He finally realised where they were. They weren't just standing in the middle of the street, they were standing right in front of a closed Ichiraku. Doors shut, lights out and a note saying it closed earlier due to a sick staff. _'Yup, definitely closed_.'

It being not one of his best days, he gave the fox like boy a once over and a questionable look, meaning he did something with his only visible eye. He was about to add a voiced "So?" until he finally realised what he was fuming about.

"Ah, but Naruto, just because Ichiraku's closed, it doesn't mean the rest is, right?" Although he could already predict the coming reaction. "But I REALLY wanted some Ichiraku Ramen!" Which ended with, again, a pouting Naruto?_' Third cute face in not even ten minutes flat… who do I sent the thank you note to?!"_

"You know what? How about I take you to another restaurant, one that I'm positive is open right now. My treat, think of it as a 'welcome home, Naruto' present. How' bout it?"

The taller of the two wasn't sure if he should have worded it like that, seeing as it's literally been years since he last paid for Naruto's meals. But then again, after Sasuke leaving the village, Naruto teaming up with Jiraiya and Sakura taken of the active duty roster in exchange for training by the Godaime Hokage herself, there wasn't really a point in offering his team dinner after training of missions now was there. Although, he surmised '_He did get me a signed copy of the latest Icha Icha four years ago when he returned from his first training trip and I hardly did anything in return.'_

Ignorant of the pensive scarecrow in front of him, a very big smile appeared on Naruto's face and ended with a dancing boy across the street, jumping up and down singing "Kaka-sensei's buying me dinner, Kaka-sensei's buying me dinneeer."

"Alright, alright stop it, everyone's watching." A hushing response towards the, let's just say 'gleeful' man. _'A full-grown man, but he still get's the biggest kick out off free food. Will he ever change?'_

But still, he couldn't help the fact that a rather genuine smile of his own started forming on his lips. _"Thank Kami for masks."_ was all the man could think.

_'Right…I forgot how much he eats. And that being a super-Jounin doesn't automatically mean I get a bonus every month.'_

Kakashi really didn't mind. He'll just eat plain noodles for the next two weeks or pick up an extra mission or two. At least his former student, back from training with Jiraiya, now fully-grown man, looking very hot while being said fully grown man, was happy. _'Ugh, enough with the adjectives already.'_

But still, he couldn't help notice how happy the blond was. He never figured he would get the hots for the man before him though. Especially when he reminded himself of the way Naruto was back in the old days assigned to team 7 with Kakashi as his sensei. _'The number-one-surprising-very-loud-knuckleheaded-hype ractive-genin. How Naruto has grown, although I doubt he'll ever get rid of his slacking-ish attitude."_

For some reason he decided to pointedly ignore the small voice in the back of his mind saying how much Naruto looked like the Yondaime Hokage Namikaze Minato and Kakashi's Jounin-sensei back when he still had 2 matching eyes. If he had let his mind wander he would surely realise that man was more of a father to him than Hatake Sakumo had ever been. But then again, you'd have to be blind to not acknowledge or at the very least recognize that the blonde Hokage had been an attractive man, whether you were into stuff like that or not. He also casually forgot he might have had a little crush on the man back then…

Nevertheless, in the 6 years that Kakashi's known him now, Naruto really matured. His techniques improved over the years, his sense of fashion, how serious he can be when you least expect it and how he grew up to be a very attractive man, with a nice lean muscled body, handsome face and shiny hair and… "Ahem."He gave a little cough at the trail his thoughts were taking again, kindly ignoring the fact that he himself is 14 years older and that he really shouldn't be thinking like this about his sensei's son. But he couldn't help himself. He always admired the younger man, how determined he had always been at getting stronger right from the beginning. All he wanted was to be recognized by everyone else. '_Well, you sure made me recognize you, you just don't know it yet.'_

He really couldn't afford himself to fall for Naruto, but that was just a very tiny voice in his head, overpowered by the rest of his conscious. Back then, he probably could slap some sense into himself, but as it was right now, he was falling headfirst into the thick of it all. _"Hmm, what have you gotten yourself into Kakashi? And you call yourself a super-Jounin. Tss."_

"Here you go, bowl number eight and nine." the kind waiter said. "What? Nine already?! Naruto, seriously?! You're still hungry?"

"Of course, don't you know me by now?" The younger of the two hardly looked up while speaking, before he jumped in and started devouring his next two dishes, some teriyaki, sweetened rice and stir-fried vegetables.

"Ano, why aren't you eating sensei?" The blond threw a questioning look at the silver haired man and stared into his right eye. "Is it because, after all these years, you still don't let people see your face?" The kid had a point there. But of course, he had his usual excuse ready to go "No, not that, I'm just not hungry is all."

"Please, go tell it to that bird you were always going on about back when you were training us, maybe he'll believe you." A foul smirk crossed his face while doing his best not to look at his former sensei.

Kasashi steadily ignored that remark. "Right, well I hope you enjoyed your meal, but any more of this and I'll be more broke than the Godaime after a bad game 'o dice."

"Oh, you're leaving already? But we just got here." _'And again that pout on his face. Is he deliberately trying to make me squeel in front of him? It's too adorable to be considered legal. Not fair.' _A slightly contorted look filled Kakashi's face at those thoughts.

"Ma, it's just that seeing you eat my salary away isn't the only thing I have to do today."

"What, go read one of Ero-sennin's books?" _"When did he get this sharp?"_

"No, just, other stuff. Stuff you shouldn't worry about, so." It really looked like the kid's face couldn't get any sadder. It nearly broke Kakashi's heart. Maybe he did care for him. _'Well of course he cares for you, just not the way you'd want.'_

"I'll go and pay the check, if you want, I could order another bowl for you?"

"Really?" That seemed to put his smile back on his face. "Sure thing kid." He ruffled the blonds' coup, gave him a little wink with his only visible eye and took off towards the counter at the front of the place he picked, just at the edge of the city's limits. He asked if they could send one more bowl to the blond in the back of the restaurant and with one last turn and a sweet, almost indistinguishable smile, he exited the building and headed left, towards Konoha's graveyard.


End file.
